


Dragging Dignity

by AlexNow



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Gen, High School
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-08
Updated: 2014-06-09
Packaged: 2018-02-03 21:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1757821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexNow/pseuds/AlexNow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><span class="small">It's a new school year and it has so far started horribly for Jean, who has to deal with how his brother has returned after so many years and has also enlisted to his same school. Oddly enough, he hasn't returned alone.</span><br/>-<br/><span class="small">Contains many other pairings which I did not add to Relationships because those would be spoilers.</span></p><p>
  <b>-ON HIATUS-</b>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kirjiru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirjiru/gifts), [galaxatives](https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxatives/gifts), [DoomedTemperament](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoomedTemperament/gifts).



> For all those people who commented on my other badly written SnK story. Thank you so much! Hopefully this one is a bit better. I will finish the other soon.  
> I have chapter two of this already but first I want to see if I get positive reactions to this and I will post the next chapter soon.  
> -Alex

The birds aren't chirping, the sun isn't shining and the sky isn't clear of clouds. Or, at least not to Eren.

Of course, it's not meant to be a nice day. It should never be considered as one to a Sophomore in high school, on the first day of the school year after months of sleeping all day or simply having nothing to do.

In Eren's case, he did _not_ spend his summer vacation doing nothing. Quite the opposite, actually. After seeing his father suffering over working all day and night as a doctor, Eren decided to start working for money of his own. Therefore, he applied for different jobs until he decided to accept a job at his grandfather's antique shop. It did not take his adoptive sister of half a year, Mikasa, more than two minutes to immediately state that she will be following him.

"At least try to succeed in controlling your temper today."

Eren moves his glare to his side, where Mikasa is walking beside him. She has her bag held tightly in one hand while it is on her shoulder and her gaze faces forward, as always her red scarf covering her mouth from view.

"Do you expect me to be in a good mood?" He retorts rather harshly, his own backpack slung over his shoulder and his knuckle turning white from the pressure he uses to hold the strap. He turns away to glower once again at the approaching trees and Mikasa sighs.

"If I'm not going to be able to protect you from problems all the time, then please at least try to wait until I'm near."

Eren snaps his gaze back to the side of her face, and their shallow footsteps on the pavement are the only sound for a second before Eren blows out what sounds like a mocking laugh. Then he sounds angry once again and doesn't even take half a second to snap.

"I don't _need_ protecting, okay? I don't know if you remember, Mikasa, but you aren't my mother _or_ my sister. I can manage very well on my own." He says this between gritted teeth and looks forward before advancing in his steps faster, leaving Mikasa behind. She purses her lips and doesn't respond. She's heard those words coming from him too many times.

._._._.

When they arrive to the school, many people are already there and enthusiastically hugging each other while patting each other's backs in welcome. They have smiles on their faces and they emit laughter, something that Eren's angry expression and Mikasa's impassive personality to not show.

They are greeted by those who honestly enjoy their presence either way. Though through summer they had seen Armin every few days, the blonde boy instantly walks over to them when he sees the two and he hauls them into a hug. Eren responds with a quick hug back as well as Mikasa. Connie waves to them from afar with a smile, standing next to Jean, who nods towards them, and Sasha, who has a bag full of chips in hand while the other enthusiastically waves.

Marco is who leaves Jean's side to welcome them back in person and he says he hopes they got a relaxing vacation while Annie, who is standing in a corner between the lockers, stares at them.

"That's great, Eren! You're independent and I admire that!" Marco says when Armin fills him in over his summer job.

Eren nods and thanks him, internally thinking about how he thinks everyone here is useless if they still plan to depend on the money their parents give them. They may only be fifteen but it is never too early to begin forming your own life. Mikasa nods towards to Jean.

"What's wrong with him?" She asks. Marco turns to see who she's talking about and sighs when he meets the sight of his best friend frowning at the floor while, beside him, Connie and Sasha argue about something, irrelevant as always.

"His brother is coming back," Marco explains with a mutter, "After so many years of not seeing him, he is coming back from boarding school and Jean isn't exactly... pleased. How he's returning until now, I mean."

"Jean has a brother?" Armin voices the question that had been on Eren's mind. The green eyed boy stares at Marco, also awaiting the response. Marco shrugs and shifts his weight from one leg to the other, looking over his shoulder at Jean.

"Yeah, he just doesn't like talking about him. You know," He hesitates and turns back to them when Jean finally feels the gaze and connects eyes with Marco, "After three years of not seeing him it's a hard subject to approach."

They stand in a comfortable silence after, their calm peacefulness covered by the sound of gleeful classmates around them. Seeing Marco uneasy, Mikasa says, "We won't mention the situation to anyone, including Jean."

Marco smiles in appreciation and waves once more before turning his back and running towards said person. Armin sighs and turns to his best friends.

"Poor Jean." He sighs. Eren holds back a snort.

._._._.

A week passes and Eren is quickly getting used to awaking at 5:30 in the morning once again. He now has a routine again, which usually consists of waking in the morning before eating breakfast and changing. He arrives to school with Mikasa at his side and there he hears reckless conversations from his friends, usually consisting of Sasha refusing to give Connie and Jean any food. ("For fuck's sake, Sasha!" Jean would yell, exasperated, “I only want _one damn cookie!_ "). Armin disappears and usually is found sitting on the dirty floor having a polite conversation next to Annie, whom no one bothers to talk to. It's beginning to become normal.

Only, this morning Jean doesn't even bother to talk. Marco's uneasy stature lets Eren know everything he has to, and Mikasa immediately catches on also. Judging by how Armin had been acting all morning, he has probably known for a few hours now, maybe even days.

Jean excuses himself quite harshly, leaving to his first class even though there's still ten minutes to kill. Marco sends a regretful glance their way and follows the other, having to jog to be able to catch up to him. Sasha's eyes lock over Eren's shoulder, and Connie looks away. They know what's happening. Eren turns around at the same time that Mikasa's lazily looks over her shoulder. They see the figure that is of the only person behind them; a built tall figure with blonde hair and a determined gaze. He stares at Jean's retreating form for a couple of seconds before he turns around and goes the other way of where he came from.

"Erwin Kirstein. Senior and Jean's newest enemy," Connie says, and Eren strains to take his gaze off of Erwin's retreating back to look at the shorter boy, "Ironic, huh? To hate your own brother."

._._._.

Eren is on his way to the gym, a few minutes late due to an argument he had with one of his fellow classmates, when he hears clear, loud voices. At first he ignores them, in no need to get involved in other people's business, until he hears Jean's name.

_"Are you out of your mind, you idiot? They are not my problems to get involved in and I refuse to intervene in them. We know perfectly well that Erwin has managed with worse before."_

_"Oh, but he wouldn't mind a little push! You've seen how Erwin has been the last few days since we got here. He's miserable!"_

_"It does not concern me and I'm sure Erwin would not appreciate the help. For once, Hanji, drop the matter and let him do his work. Do you understand me, specs? You will **not** intercede and neither will I."_ The male's voice is stern and he punctuates every said word with a certain confidence that has Eren flinching, if only a bit. There comes a sigh.

_"Yes, Levi."_

Eren purses his lips and makes a sharp turn into the boy's bathroom. Though Eren does not get along very well with Jean, he can't help but feel troubled with what Jean has to deal with, having his brother back, who has obviously brought company.

As he leans on the sinks to breathe in deeply; tries to compose himself until he finally exits the bathroom. He arrives to the gym and rubs his eyes, trying his best to keep them open.

"Jean's brother didn't come alone." Eren tells Armin, who is already seated at the bleachers while everyone else fools around with the basketballs, waiting for the coach to arrive. Armin sighs and nods.

"Yeah, I know. Annie told me this morning that he brought three other people with him. Two seniors and one Junior."

"Annie." Eren states, his gaze fitted to the side of Armin's face, who has a worried face transfixed along the people running around or daring the others to do a headstand while balancing a ball on their feet (once again, stupid).

"Yeah," He responds softly, "She has the Junior in her Chemistry class."

"Does Jean know?"

Armin looks even more uncomfortable, if possible. He shifts in his seat, glancing at Eren as the taller boy sits to his side, "Probably. Marco mentioned Erwin's closest friend and how he waited outside of Jean's house as Erwin went inside to talk. He's supposed to be staying somewhere else, though, with his friends."

Eren holds back a bitter laugh, thinking of how Jean must have felt to know that his brother he hasn't seen in so long has returned to greet him, only to find out he'll be staying elsewhere and has no intentions in seeing him for more than eight hours a day.

"Right. Anyway," Eren decides to change the subject and turns around, eyeing the room full of overenthusiastic teenagers running around and practically jumping off the walls, "The coach hasn't gotten here?"

Armin shrugs and shakes his head before saying that it's most likely that he won't arrive, continuing to explain that he heard the man had been in the hospital since two weeks ago, so he probably isn't out yet. Eren smiles, says that the old man's harsh ways seem to be paying off.

Around them everyone seems to be engulfed in the basketball hoops, the jumping ropes or the bleachers. Eren takes this as an opportunity to walk over to the climbing rope which he has tried to master for the past five years, since he never understood the way every female and male has always managed to ring the bell at the top. Armin decides to stay put, soon in conversation with someone else Eren has never bothered to talk to and he begins to try once more to climb it, using the way no one is paying attention to him to his advantage.

The rope stings against his palms and as his ankles angle together. They begin to rash into a bright red color, but Eren’s clenched jaw shows that he doesn't plan on giving up anytime soon. He forces his already strained joints to move his hands upward and pushes his feet against the rope. His shallow breaths in moments make him rush for air from his mouth and his hair sticks to his forehead with a couple drops of sweat he has managed to form in such a short period of time. He's maybe close enough to ring the hell, he doesn't know. As Eren tries to hold his arm up high to try and touch the thin string, wearied out from all the times it has been used but never by him, his fingertips touch it and he lets out a yell of victory, sunken and disappeared from the yells of his classmates which are still too distracted to notice the Sophomore at the very top. Eren lets out a victorious grin, his lips strained into a confident smile--

And his ankles slip.

While one of his arms had been outstretched, his ankles had broken apart by the amount of pressure and his single left arm had not been enough to keep him dangling on the rope, desperate for balance.

The fall had been harsh, and he fell onto his shoulder, his right side burning deeply as he lets out a cry. Not of the pain, no; but because his desperate attempt to ring the bell had made him lose focus, and his attention drew him from his true objective. Failure. That's what hurt most. Except, maybe his hand might be in the second place, gushing blood onto the gym floor. No one saw him fall. Then no one should see him in pain.

As Eren tries to stand up, or at least sit, he ignores his hand and places it onto the floor to help himself up, ignoring the way he leaves a bloody handprint onto the wood. He grunts in pain, wondering how he could have been so stupid by trying to stay up in the air by leaving his hand on the rope as he fell, the rope burning through his skin and ripping parts off in the process.

"Such a stupid kid," Someone close by suddenly says, a sneer visible in just the tone of voice, "Basic coordination over your body limbs and yet not even in that the brats could succeed in."

Suddenly there is someone kneeling down in front of him, and Eren feels someone hold his hand, soaked in his own blood. Through blurry eyes, filled with angry tears, he notices concerned eyes staring at him.

"Are you alright? Oh god, you're so hurt!" She exclaims, and she cradles his hand against her chest, seeming to not even care that now her gym shirt is stained in blood. Judging by her high voice, it is obviously not the same voice that called him stupid. Eren clenches his teeth once again and sniffs, pulling his hand out of her grasp and wiping his nose on his sleeve. He wipes his hand on his shorts as if hoping his hand to disappear from all blood. Her eyes widen.

"Don't do that! You're going to get it infected!" She says, and grabs his hand once more. From behind her Eren thinks he hears an amused snort but he doesn't bother to look up, not wanting to risk anyone seeing him cry as he tries to turn any direction of the room where no one is standing. The girl stands up and tugs on his wrist, careful with the fractured skin, and with her other hand she tucks a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Can you stand up? I'm taking you to the nurse," When Eren refuses to move and looks away, trying to pull out of her grasp, she adds, "My name is Petra, I'd like to take you to the nurse, and I'm not taking no as an answer. Can you stand up?"

Eren finally tries to get up once more, just so she can see that he can manage very well alone, but he collapses once more on his bottom as his hip pulls and causes a wave of pain to overcome him body. Petra, if possible, looks even more concerned and Eren can't help but notice that at least he isn't go to the nurse alone with someone he has never met before, someone who will see him cry. He knows he isn’t crying at all anymore, but his eyes are still rimmed red. He lets out an exasperated sigh.

"Let the brat be, I'm sure he'll be fine once his blood dries off. You're getting yourself dirty, Petra."

Eren finally looks towards the direction of the rope, and he finds someone standing next to it with his arms crossed, and he's not even in his gym clothes. His gaze never falters from its expression lacking amusement as Eren stares at him, the green eyed boy's own eyes slowly sinking into a glare.

Petra sends him a glance and she sighs before shaking her head, "I'm sorry but I can't do what you're asking me to. I have to take him to the nurse."

The other's blank expression stays the same at these words and he doesn't respond, just choosing to stare at her. Soon his gray eyes fall onto the floor once more, or more specifically at the floor where Eren still is.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Eren fixes his glare once more at the boy and forces his voice to sound even as he says in a slow pace, "I don't need help. I was fine on my own and if you try anything I will punch you."

He doesn't even care that when he moves to stare to Petra, the blonde girl uses her expression in a way that if Eren were not already furious, he might have felt guilt. She had only been trying to help.

There is silence between them, and Eren feels pathetic and useless being on the floor while two people he surely is taller than, tower over him. The boy doesn't seem to emit any expression, and he moves his attention to a couple of teenagers who are trying to balance on a yoga ball before they fall to the ground, groaning in pain. The boy sighs, seeming disappointed in everyone around him and Petra still seems heartbroken. Eren doesn't regret what he said.

"Fuck. What the hell were to trying to do? Peel your skin off?" Jean appears and says this as he immediately kneels down to put his arm under Eren's own before hauling him up onto his feet. He lets Eren go when the other manages to stay up, but the moment he pulls his arm off, Eren's balance fails and he almost slips to the floor once more, stopped by Jean who quickly wraps his arm around him again, Eren's arm at the back of his neck.

"Look, Jaeger, I don't know what fucking stunt you just pulled on that made you skin yourself and somehow fuck up your whole body, and I don't want to fucking know but I am not letting you make Mikasa get angry with me for not keeping watch on you when I promised I would." He looks frustrated and he carefully moves them to the gym doors. Eren notices how Jean sends a glare the boy's way, as if they’ve already met. The other still looks blank and Eren thinks he hears the same bored tone of voice say, "Well, so much for not needing help. Are you satisfied, Petra?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized exactly how OOC the characters are and I promise I will try to keep them the same from now on. I am so sorry. I let other fanfictions influence me. It won't happen again. Considering I'll be doing projects for the next two weeks and after I'll be visiting my father, the next chapter will maybe delay. I don't know yet.  
> -Alex

**CHAPTER TWO**

Eren is walking through the hallways of the school, late for class, when he sees Annie punch Armin.

He doesn't manage to catch much information over what happened when he sees it, barely catching eye at Annie's fist flying towards his face; and Eren doesn't stay put any much longer before he immediately throws his bag to the floor and grabs Annie by the collar of her shirt, shoving her against the lockers.

At this moment he doesn't think long enough to rationally wonder what happened and why he is threatening a girl. All he could see flashing through his mind is Armin behind him, on the floor with a deep scrape across his cheek from her ring and his nose bleeding. Annie's eyes glare with hatred back, and even though Eren's curt words to her in the past and the ones he's received in response in the past explain about what type of person she is, he didn't think she'd abuse of the one person who is trying to help her.

"You fucking bitch!" He screams and he throws his fist into her stomach. She obviously isn't expecting him to _actually_ attack her, and she coughs as she curls into herself, right before she narrows her eyes and throws herself at him, responding with a kick to his feet.

Eren thinks he could hear Armin yelling for them to stop in the background, but he doesn't care anyway. As he feels pain to the same hand he injured only a few days ago, he grits his teeth and imitates her combat moves to assault the same knee she got surgery on last year (information courtesy of Armin). There are no rules. As long as she continues using Armin to her advantage, Eren has no restrictions.

"You leave him the fuck alone!" Eren yells between the pain and anger he feels at once. Through the shouts he hears Armin give, he thinks he hears Armin's voice crack. Just as Annie is about to finally gain the perfect opportunity to sprain his wrist and swing her fist into his neck, Eren notices how the pain never comes.

"Behave." He hears, and Eren looks up, his face still contorted into a scowl of pure hatred, to see none other than Erwin holding Annie by the arms. Judging by how her skills are, Eren doesn't doubt that she could easily break free of the Senior if she wants to. She stays calm though, and just stares at him with a few wounds spread across her body. Seeing her so nonchalant of the situation makes Eren grit his teeth and tug himself towards her, especially when his suspicions of Armin are proved correct when he sees his best friend's tears run down his cheeks, mixed with snot and blood. Only then does Eren realize that he is being held as well. He tries to pull free once more, only using his upper body strength but at the same time not trying as hard as he could.

"Stay still, brat. You might find fun in pain by what I've seen but right now I'd appreciate you don't make me inflict more on you."

When Eren hears the voice he tenses, recognizing it as the same voice named as _Levi_ whom he had heard talking about Erwin and Jean on his first day this school year. And seeing as he appeared the same moment Erwin did, it is confirmed he is one of the _friends_. When Eren shifts his body a small bit, angry and glaring, to look at this Levi's face, he doesn't expect to also see the same gray eyes which belong to the sarcastic asshole he was offended by in gym class. Eren now understands even more why Jean has been annoyed these past weeks. He has had to deal with his brother's _charming_ friends as well.

"Let _go_ of me." Eren snaps, and this time he tries his best to get free, only to realize Levi's short stature contains much more strength than he had originally thought. Levi rolls his eyes and doesn't let go.

"Such threatening words almost made me jump in fright, Sophomore. My deepest apologies." He responds, and his voice doesn't even have to be laced with sarcasm to let Eren know exactly how he feels.

"You need to control yourselves, kids," Erwin suddenly says, and his expression is stern, "Fighting in the hallways of a school in the middle of classes will not solve anything. Especially... under these circumstances." He glances between the both of them, obviously addressing their different genders.

As Eren tries to ignore Armin's silent sobs from behind them, this time he is grateful to see Erwin's mouth open again. Anything to drown out the noise his best friend is making, "Try to be more responsible next time."

Eren takes it back.

"Responsible?!" Eren screams, and Levi instantly tightens his grip on his arms once more when Eren pulls from his hold, "You abandon your younger brother for _three_ fucking years and you try to teach us about responsibility?! With what fucking _face_ do you come over to us and lecture us about something you obviously don’t possess!"

"Eren!" Armin croaks out and his loud sniff, trying to calm himself down, is enough to have Eren control his temper a bit more, but at the same time have his hatred grow towards Annie, who is silent.

Levi's hands painfully hold him, this time his nails digging into his skin as well, "Watch your words, freak." He hisses.

Erwin's expression doesn't falter and he doesn't say a word. No one does, and the only sounds keeping them from being in complete silence are Armin's quiet sobs and Eren's heavy breathing.

It's when a teacher suddenly appears that Levi immediately lets go of Eren and leaves to class, seeming to want to avoid being involved, and when the teachers asks what happened in a panicked voice Erwin gives Eren a last stern expression before letting go of Annie and leaving. The three are left alone with the teacher, and with a straight expression Annie feeds a ridiculous story of how Armin got a bloody nose the same time I slammed into a locker and she fell down the school's stairs. On the way to the nurse, no one says a word.

-.-.-

"I heard about what happened today."

Mikasa takes no time into approaching the subject, instead choosing to immediately address the matter. Eren refuses to face her and continues staring into his food. Armin is silent, and it's strange to have him here this whole time in lunch, without excusing himself so much to do something with Annie. Eren hopes that the girl rots into her own misery. She isn't even in the cafeteria right now. Such a shame. While Eren is covered in bandages he was looking forward to see her skin purple from bruises.

Besides his two friends, Connie is the only person at the table. He stays silent though, for once, and Eren doesn't doubt he heard about what caused the halls to be stained red as well.

"What caused you to fight Annie?"

Eren doesn't respond for a long time, and he harshly punctures his fork into salad and watches as if stays onto the utensil but makes no move to eat it. As he avoids the dressing, he glances at Mikasa to see his sister staring straight at him with her scarf tightened around her neck. He looks back down.

"She punched Armin for no fucking reason, that's why. He's only been trying to help her from the beginning to avoid her turning even more into a fuck up and yet she showed no regret when she hurt him." Eren doesn't realize he had spit it out with so much venom until he feels even Connie's gaze on him.

"No," Armin says softly over the cries of the cafeteria, still staring at his sandwich, "It wasn't for any nonexistent reason."

Eren's gaze snaps to him and he narrows his eyes. He stays in complete silence along with everyone else in the room before asking in a very cautious tone of voice, "Armin, why did Annie attack you?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?" Mikasa asks before Eren can jump and demand why he can't tell his best friends. Armin bites on his lower lip.

"She trusted me with the information, and so I can only say I started to pressure her on doing something about her past."

They leave the matter at that, and no one tries to talk about the topic at all. Overall, Connie looks uncomfortable to be experiencing the conversations three close friends have, feeling like he is invading. To his relief, Jean soon arrives with Sasha and to everyone's surprise he is laughing at something she said. For once in this whole school year he seems to have temporarily forgotten about the matter involving his older brother, but when he sees Armin's nose, though, his laughter fades and his eyebrows furrow in what Eren can't distinguish between confusion or concern.

"What happened?" He asks, and takes the seat beside Connie and in front of Armin. He turns to the rest and his eyes stay locked on Eren in shock as he catches the other's state as well.

"Fuck," He manages, "Don't tell me you guys actually _fought_?"

At Armin's horrified expression Jean sighs in relief and expresses his consolation, explaining that he'd be concerned if Armin had managed to cause that much damage on Eren while Eren only had to hurt his nose; says something about Armin having a secret six pack under his lanky form, hiding under his shirt. At this Armin smiles slightly, and Eren is disgustingly getting used to feeling grateful of Jean this year for doing many things for him. Getting Armin to smile in this situation is something Eren feels mostly grateful for.

The bells rings, signaling the warning that tells them they have five minutes left lunch and Eren gets up. He has this class alone without any of them, seeing as he either isn't in the same school year (Mikasa and Jean are Juniors) or he simply doesn't have a same class with those in his same year (he wouldn't be able to stand having Armin try to convince him it wasn't Annie's fault, awkward silences with Connie or Sasha babbling about what she'll eat once she got home).

Leaving without anything but a nod to those who see him leave, he makes his way out of the cafeteria and through the almost empty hallway to his next class.

"Eren! Eren Jaeger, wait!"

Eren pauses in his steps and he turns around to see who is calling for him, only to watch a girl he has never seen before wave her arms in the air as she comes closer in her jog towards him. When she does, she is breathing heavily and she grins, pushing her glasses farther up her nose.

"Whoo, you sure do walk fast, Jaeger!" She says, and she laughs, leaning over to place her hands over his knees and catch her breath. Eren stares at her.

"Who are you?"

As if she were a bulb that had been turned back on, she stands up straight away and reaches for his hand to enthusiastically shake it, not seeming to have left any sign of her previous running marathon; unless her spiky hair styled oddly really is a sign but Eren is quite sure she enjoys her hair that way.

"My name's Hanji, nice to meet you," She states with her same wide grin, and when Eren opens his mouth to respond she interrupts and he sees she isn't done talking, "I came here to see how you are. Erwin told me about what happened... or sort of. Then Levi wouldn't stop complaining about seeming to always find you full of blood and how his clothes got stained so I decided to check for myself. Ignore Levi, by the way. I'm sure he already gave you a bad first impression, and Erwin is only trying to help. Try to ignore his way of thinking when it's about his family, and you'll see he has a reason behind everything he does. Anyway, I'm sure Erwin will grateful that I ask you to take care of Jean while he can't even, even though he hasn't asked me to tell you but, you know."

She shrugs as if she expects him to agree even though he hasn't interacted with more than a few words with any of them. That is when he begins to form a sentence to argue over a couple things she said but she tells him Petra sends him greetings and is running back to the cafeteria just as another bell sounds, indicating the end of lunchtime. Eren purses his lips and tries not to wonder much about what type of friends Erwin likes to be in company of.

-.-.-

The rest of the day does not go down smoothly. Eren ends up somehow angrily slamming his textbook onto someone's head as he shoves all his books into his locker at the end of the day and as the textbook falls to the floor after the impact, he bends over furiously to retrieve it and head to the school's exit to wait for Mikasa outside to leave. As he bend down to get it though, the textbook is being pulled out of his grasp and soon Eren feels a heavy impact on his head before he sees his book fall to the ground.

He realizes he got hit on the head with his own extremely heavy book.

Eren is already in a bad mood, but his furious words die on his tongue as he faces the person he offended, whom he also offended, all with the same textbook. Angry grey eyes stare up at him.

"Tell you what, brat. You hit me once more and I'll shove that book so far down your throat you'll wish I had just strangled you."

Eren stays silent as he tries to take in exactly who is in front of him. It's either Erwin's friend (whether Levi would be considered anyone's friend), the voice that Hanji had been trying to convince to intervene into Jean's business, or simply the asshole that had offended him far too much in the few interactions they've had. Eren is already angry, and he decides to vent it out with the closest person near him without really thinking.

"Well," Eren says haughtily, still not quite understanding the concept of exactly who is in front of him, "I'd be surprised if you could even reach with even a stool, midget."

What a terribly bad idea.

Eren tries not to show too much pain as he lies on the ground, in seconds being on the ground with what seems to be a sprained ankle, wrist, a bang on the head and a punch to his stomach.

Levi now towers over his and he states that if Eren ever makes another comment about his stature, he'll make sure the younger boy has to stay in the hospital for days. Eren believes him. Levi does not leave after this, though. First he adds that he’ll let that simple comment pass through his mind without further notice, but next time he won’t be so kind.

Eren can't help, though, but to watch as he walks away. Eren's textbook is beside his head and Levi glares at everyone who makes eye contact with him. From afar Eren can see how Hanji immediately goes to him and begins babbling about something. Levi responds by placing his hand on her face and pushing her away.

Yes, Eren can relate.

When Eren exits the school he notices how his hip aches from the fall after the climbing rope with the knots experience, from the punch Annie gave him, and now from Levi's assault. He ignores it, though, and watches as Armin and Mikasa approach him in order to leave. It seems that Armin is going to their house today. Eren tries not to make it awkward and Armin is trying his best to pretend that nothing is different.

Mikasa asks why he's smirking and Eren snaps from his thoughts and states that he doesn't know. He may have his suspicions, though, and because he refuses to knowledge them he avoids thinking about any of Erwin's friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Comment and/or leave a kudo if you wish. It'll be greatly appreciated.  
> -Alex


End file.
